Bharat Entrepreneurs

Karsanbhai Khodidas Patel, the founder of  Rs. 2500 crore (US$ 500 million) “NIRMA”  group, is from an agricultural family from Mehsana in north Gujarat. After completing his B.Sc. in Chemistry, he worked as Lab Assistant from the age of 21years in New Cotton Mills, Ahmedabad belonging to the Lalbhai group and then in the Geology and Mining Department of the Government of Gujarat. During the time during which domestic detergent market was controlled by MNCs, Dr. Karsanbhai Khodidas Patel started a small-scale enterprise by introducing a quality detergent powder Nirma, (named after his daughter Nirupama) and it became a hugely successful brand. He started door-to-door selling of Nirma at a cheap price of Rs. 3 per kg. The next available cheapest brand in the market at that time was Rs.13 per kg.

                   Quality & Quantity are the key factors that made Nirma revolutionize the whole detergent powder segment. Since production was labor intensive, and the detergent was phosphate free (hence environment friendly), Nirma became a leading employer. After this success Nirma extended its roots to toilet soaps like Nirma bath and Nirma beauty soap, and Super Nirma detergent. Hence Nirma built up a 30% market share in the premium detergent segment and also achieved a 20% share in premium soaps market. His Ventures into shampoo and toothpaste were not as successful, compared to this the  edible salt Shudh is doing well.

             In 1995 he started “Nirma Institute of technology” an engineering college in Ahmedabad. Aimed at training and incubating entrepreneurs he launched “Nirma labs” education project in 2004.

Achievements and Accolades:

•  Dr.Karsanbhai Patel received  “Udyog Ratna” by the federation of association of small-scale industries of India.
•  Florida Atlantic university, USA honoured him with doctorate of human letters.
• The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce felicitated him as an ‘Outstanding Industrialist of the Eighties’.
• Appointed twice as the chairman of the development council for oils, soaps & detergents by Indian Govt.
  

Popularity: 24%

Naresh Goyal is the Founder Chairman of Jet Airways, India’s largest domestic airline which presently operates over 320 flights daily to 48 destinations, of which five are international.Jet Airways has been voted India’s “Best Domestic Airline” by several organisations of world-class repute.

         Naresh Goyal had to walk for a few miles everyday to school as his parents could not afford a bicycle for him, and started his career as a cashier at his maternal uncle’s company at a starting salary of Rs 300 a month.It is his hard work that made him so rich and in the year 2006 net worth of the Jet Airways is over Rs 8100 crore for which he was listed as sixth richest Indian as per the Business Standard Billionaire Club.

           Naresh Goyal completed his graduation in Commerce in 1967 and joined the travel business with the GSA for Lebanese International Airlines. From 1967 to 1974 he learnt the intricacies of the travel business through his association with several foreign airlines.Later in May 1974, Naresh Goyal founded Jetair (Private) Limited to look after Sales and Marketing operations of foreign airlines in India.In 1991, when the Indian economy was being opened up, Naresh Goyal took advantage of Open Skies Policy of the Government of India and set up Jet Airways for the operation of scheduled air services on domestic sectors in India. Jet Airways started commercial operations on May 05, 1993.

Education & Career:Goyal holds a Bachelors of Commerce degree and after completing his education in 1967, joined the travel business as a general sales agent for Lebanese International Airlines.

• In 1969, he was appointed the public relation manager of Iraqi Airways .
• From 1971 to 1974 was the regional manager for ALIA, Royal Jordanian Airlines.
• He gained experience in fields like ticketing, reservations and sales while working with the Indian offices of Middle Eastern Airline.
• Later, he was appointed regional manager of Phillipine Airlines where he handled the commercial operations of the airline in India.
• Finally, in 1992, he took the big step of setting up his airline - Jet Airways.

Achievements & Accolades:

Popularity: 27%